Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-11
REAGAN TO GIBBS.
The Senator Elect will not Canvass the
state, but He will Vote for
Prohibition.
"Not Because 1t is the Best Remedy,
but Because 1t win do
Huch Good"

that largely attended meeting OF proml-
nent Democrats from all parts of the
state was held at Austin on the 3Oth Ill
tmo for the purpose of calling state
convention, to meet at Dallas on the first
wednesday in May, and that such con-
yention has been called; that its object is
+wo-fold: l. To set forth clearly and un-
reserYedly the time-hOnOred and endur-
ing principles Of the Democratic party
rom Jefferson, it's founder, down to the
present time. These you describe to be
fsopposition TO all forms of sumptuary
legislation"
You do me the honor to invite me to be
present and address that convention, and
cali nv attention to the radical change to
he engrafted on the organic law of the
state by the adoption of the prohibition
amendment. And you suggest that the
magnitude of the issue forbids silence on
the part of every citizen.
I fully appreciate the honor implied in
the invitation you extend me; out be
tween giving some attention to my prl-
vate affairs, which have been much neg
lected of late, the keeping up of q cores
pOndence which has become burdenSome,
and the necessity of investigating some
public questions of Importance before
the meeting of the Flftieth Congress, 1t
will not be practicable for me to partlci-
pate in public discussions of this
summer.
II | had leisure to engage in this dis
cussion, with all respect for the opinions
of the meeting you represent, l could not
concur with the views expressed in your
letter. While | have heretofore felt con-
strained to oppose prohibition because its
friends sought to make it political issue
and to antagOniZe and overthrow the
Democratic party, that reason does not
now exist; and | am not inclined, by
speech or vote, TO COuntenance the evils
flowing from the selling and drinking of
intoxicating liquor as now praCtiCed, or
TO give to them the moral support Of pub
lie opinion or the protection Of the state
government.
In every community we find men, once
hOnOred and respected, reduced to pow
erty, wretChedness and dlshOnOr by
spending their money and time in drink
ing saloons; wives weighed down with
grief and sorrow and want, and heart
broken and helpless children growing up
in ignorance, beggarY and vice, because
husbands and fathers have been made
drunkards and vag8bonds by patronizing
the drinking sOlOOns. Millions of dollars
are invested IN this business of making
men drunkarG5 and in producing the
desOlatiOn and ruin Of women and chill
dren, which If employed in agricultural,
manufacturing or commercial pursuits,
and directed by the talents and time
wasted in these drinking houses, would
add untold millions to the aggregated
wealth Os the state, and make as many
thousands OF happy families as are now
made miserable because this money and
time are given to the selling and drink
ing of Intoxicating liquors.
The trainers Of our state constitution,
having reference to these evils, provided
that "the Legislature shall at its first ses-
sion enact a law whereby the qualified
voters of any county, Justices precinct,
town or city, by q majority vote, from
time to time, may determine whether the
sale of intoxicating liquors shall be pro
hibited within the prescribed limits" 1t
would be no great innovation upon this
principle for the people Of the state to
adopt a constitutional provision declar-
ing that the manufacture, sale and eX-
change of intoxicating liquor, except
for medical, mechanical ami scientific
purposes, is hereby prohibited in the state
Of Texas The state d mUCrntic con-
ventiOn, which met at Galveston last
summer, inserted ia its piatfOT Il Of prin-
ciples declaration, in substance, that
citizen might be a lOcsi Opt MIST or a
prOhibitiOnist, and at the same time be q
Democrat.
The present Legislature wisely deter
mined, in submitting the question Of the
adoption Of the prohibition amendment
to 8 vote of the people, that the election
oh, h. ,.1gE y,%h
election was to be held, in order that the
people might pass upon that question un-
embarrassed by any other political ques-
tiOns or elections, so that the election
should be partisan In view of these
facts, with all respect for the meeting at
Austin and its committee, l must eX-
press my regret that any effort has been
made to make party question of it; and
especially do | regret that Democrats
should seek to identify that great and
grand historic party with the fortunes
and fate of whisky shops, drunkards and
criminals.
There is broad difference between
laws which interfere with legitimate
trade and such as would interfere
with the purchase and sale of necessary
food, drink and raiment, called sumptu-
airy laws, and laws which have for their
object the prevention and punishment of
crime and the preservation of public
morals and decency. And l think it
hardly just to the memery of Mr.. Jeffer-
son to assume that he would not have re-
COgniZed this stinCtiOn.
l have during all the years of my man
hood been q DemoCra Of the straightest
sect, and an earnest and enthusiastic dis
ciple Of Thomas Jefferson, whom l regard
as the greatest political philosopher and
statesman this country has ever produced.
And 1 would be rs far from
desiring to see laws passed
which would interfere with the
freedom OF legitimate commerce, or
which would undertake to control the
purchase, sale and use Of necessary food,
drink or apparel as any one could be.
But believe it to be the duty Of the
people, in lawful manner, TO protect
themselves and society against the evils
Of the improper sale and use of int0X-
icating liquors. II l have not always so
felt IL has been in a great degree because